India’s T20 cricket team for the forthcoming tour to England has a familiar face in dynamic 21-year-old Shafali Verma. She will work in tandem with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. The tour marks an important phase for the Indian women’s cricket team as they prepare for competitive matches while showcasing emerging talents.
India Women’s T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur has shown her experiences of leading a side with confidence. She leads India’s One Day International (ODI) team, underscoring her importance in Indian women’s cricket. Smriti Mandhana — recently awarded Wisden’s best female cricketer in the world — is a star. She is the most vocal backer of Kaur to be found, Kaur holding the vice-captaincy in both formats. These dual responsibilities speak to their leadership and experience as India, having tasted success in international cricket, seeks to build on this success.
After being dropped from the Indian senior national selections in November 2022, Shafali Verma makes a comeback to the T20 squad. She gave a masterclass in the Women’s Premier League this year, where she tallied up 304 runs at a staggering strike rate of 152.76 for the Delhi Capitals. This incredible accomplishment earned her a place back on the national team. Verma hasn’t been able to regain ODI selection, with her last appearance for the format coming in October.
Along with Verma, Deepti Sharma is the other name to feature in both squads, furthering her tremendous influence on Indian cricket. Sharma made headlines due to her involvement in the controversial run out of Charlie Dean at Lord’s, which sparked discussions about the non-striker’s end dismissal. Her injection into the squad will strengthen India’s all-round depth as they prepare to take on England.
Pratika rounds out the ODI squad with similarly strong credentials. She’s recently gained notoriety by becoming the fastest woman to achieve 500 runs in One Day Internationals. At 24 years old, her inclusion reflects the selectors’ confidence in her potential to contribute significantly to the team’s performance.
Injuries have ruled Renuka Singh Thakur and Shreyanka Patil out of contention, keeping both from playing on this important tour. Their absence will create serious holes in the team’s bowling lineup that the team must compensate for.
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